What Is an Analogy for Mitochondria?
One common analogy for the mitochondria (singular mitochondrion) is a powerhouse, as mitochondria create energy for the cell. Mitochondria are sometimes called the furnace of the cell as well. Like a powerhouse or furnace, mitochondria take in basic fuel stuff and generate energy from it: a furnace generates heat energy, and a powerhouse generates electricity, whereas mitochondria generate ATP.
ATP is a chemical that is found throughout all the domains of life, from dandelions to amoebas to tuna fish, mushrooms and people. Food is made (as in plants) or eaten (as in animals) and ultimately broken down into ATP to create chemical energy for being alive. The process of creating ATP from food is called the citric acid cycle.
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